Welcome to the OUTWARD course “Safety and

Environment”!
The estimated runtime of this course is 60 minutes.

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Here are the instructions on how to navigate through this
course.

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The learning objectives for this module are:
- To understand how the environment and safety are related
to the installation, operation, inspection, and service of MFPs
and printers.
- To understand what influences the products have on the
environment and human health.
- To understand our initiative for the environment.

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What would you answer if you were asked “are the products
made by Konica Minolta safe?” A typical response would be
something like “yes, the products are safe because injury
reports from users are rare.” This response does not take
into consideration the many other aspects of safety. We have
to consider environmental effects in the product lifecycle
including procurement of the manufacturing materials and
disposal or recycle.
In this course you will learn about the initiatives for product
safety and the environment. You will also learn about
cautions that users and service engineers must know about
to work safely with these products.

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This lesson will explain about the specified safety standards
and precautions for the installation, operation, inspection, or
service of the products.
Additionally, it contains explanations of the notes to avoid
product accidents.

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MFPs and printers only can be put into circulation if they
comply with the safety standards that authorities for each
region regulate.
Many of the requirements that are related to the safety of
information appliances are denoted with the number 60 950
such as IEC 60 950 and EN 60 950.
According to these standards, MFPs and printers must be
developed and constructed in such a way that users are not
put at any risk.
For example, covers or safety interlocks must protect
hazardous areas, or the materials must satisfy criteria for
heat resistance, fire resistance and flammability.
Also, the users are required to refer to the user's guide and
use the products in a correct way.
The following topics show what is necessary to safely
operate and maintain office products.

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Correctly installing Konica Minolta products provides
customers with confidence that they can use the products
safely.
To ensure normal operation and safe operation of the
products, do not install them in any prohibited sites.

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Use a mains supply that provides correct operating voltage
within the specifications of the product. In addition, to
prevent unexpected variances in the supplied voltage, do not
connect other appliances to the wall socket which the
equipment is connected to.
Avoid areas where the power cable may get damaged.
Do not use a damaged main cord or attempt to repair a
damaged cord with electrical tape. If the cord gets damaged,
replace it.
Be sure to connect a ground to prevent accidental electrical
shock on operation. Connect the power cable ground contact
to a ground contact at the mains supply. Never use a gas
pipe, water pipe, heating pipe, telephone lines, or other
equipment as the ground. Periodic checks of these areas are
recommended throughout the life of the product.
For Europe: Connect the power plug only to an earthed
outlet. Ensure that the power plug is correct for your region.

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When connecting products to electrical outlets, confirm that
the supplied voltage and current rating of the outlet meet
product requirements and specifications. Never connect the
power cord of Konica Minolta products to power strips,
multiple outlets or multiple sockets. Ignoring these cautions
may result in fire or other damage.

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Inspect the wall outlet and power cord plug for contamination
and clean as needed. Then plug the power cord into the wall
outlet securely.
When you use an inlet type of power cord, be sure that the
connection is firm.
If the installation manual references a procedure to attach
the power cable, be sure to attach it with the correct
mounting bracket as instructed.
If any damage or wear is identified on the power cord or plug,
replace it with the cord assembly identified in the product
specifications.
If these cautions are ignored, overheating of the power
connections and fire may occur.

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Verify that each cable is installed in the proper connector.
The improper connection may result in damage to
connectors or circuit components.

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To ensure normal functions of the equipment, read carefully
the precautions about the operation of the equipment.
For the basic items, do not put something like heavy or liquid
storage bottle on the equipment.
Do not use sprays. Do not remove the parts in operation,
and refrain from behavior that may cause accidents or
serious injuries.
In addition, it is important to confirm proper ventilation and to
follow proper steps for powering the equipment on or off.

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The environment such as temperature and humidity and the
voltage and frequency of the main power should be within
the specified range.
Before using consumables, read the corresponding
instructions and perform the correct management or
appropriate handling.

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Use caution around the products to avoid dropping paper
clips, staples or screws into the product. These can cause
electrical shorts that can damage the product, fire or
electrical shock.
Replace the periodical replacement parts in the specific
replacement cycles and use the regular products for the
consumables such as the toner.
Otherwise, a breakdown or an abnormal odor of the product
may be caused.
Though this product generates ozone during use, the
amount of ozone is not enough to harm human health.
However, you may notice an unusual odor of ozone when
using a machine in the following situations; in a room with
poor ventilation, when copying or printing large volumes or
when multiple machines are used at the same time. In these
cases it may be necessary to give the room an airing or
increase ventilation for a period of time.

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The risks are classified into three levels: Danger, warning
and caution.
Danger and Warning comprise all actions that result in death
or in a serious injury if the safety instructions are not
followed. Actions that are classified to Danger have higher
possibilities of leading to death or a serious injury. Cautions
means that careless actions could result in minor or
moderate injuries.
When you conduct inspections or service, be sure to read
and follow safety instructions in the specific service
documentation for the product being serviced.

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Specific marks or labels are on the part you have to pay
attention to. Be sure to confirm the safety information on the
labels or the manuals.
Do not work with wet hands. Doing so could result in an
electric shock.
Do not modify the product. The equipment has high-voltage
units and electric circuits which have high current capacity
that may cause electric shock or burns and laser devices
that may result in eye damage or blindness.
Before inspection or service, be sure to unplug the power
cord. Use care when you handle the power cord.

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Always maintain a grounded connection when you work on a
product that is connected to a mains supply.
Without proper grounding, electrical leakage could result in
electric shock or fire.
Never connect the ground wire to a gas pipe, water pipe,
telephone ground wire, or a lightning conductor.
For replacement parts, always use the genuine parts that are
specified in the manufacturer’s parts manual. Installing a
wrong or unauthorized part could cause a dielectric
breakdown, overload, or undermine safety devices resulting
in electric shock or fire.
Additionally, the electrical or safety certification for the
equipment may be voided. If a fuse opens frequently, the
system may have a serious electrical problem and
immediate action must be taken to eliminate the cause of the
problem.
To promote safety and prevent product damage, make sure
that the harnesses are returned to their original positions and

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properly secured in their clamps and saddles in order to
avoid being crushed.
Make sure that all tubing and other insulating materials are
returned to their original positions and floating components
that are mounted on the circuit boards are at their correct
distance and position off the boards.

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Use the fuses specified by KM for the protection fuses.
Do not disable the function of the fuses or do not use
conductors such as wires, clips or solder as the substitution.
If this is done, the safety device does not work and these
conductors may cause abnormal heating and result in fire.

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A part that is marked with the symbol shown on the upper
right is a high-voltage part.
Touching it could result in electric shock or burn.
Be sure to unplug the power cord before servicing this part
or the parts near it.
A part that is marked with the symbol shown on the lower
right and other parts such as the exposure lamp and fusing
roller can be very hot while the machine is energized.
Touching high-temperature parts may result in a burn, so
wait until these parts have cooled down before replacing
them or any surrounding parts.

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Be sure to remove jammed paper when you perform the
maintenance of the fusing unit. Remains of paper could
result in smoking.
In addition, when you replace a fusing lamp or other AC
voltage components, make sure that connections are
properly made. A poor connection can cause overheating,
resulting in fire.

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Unless otherwise specified, assemble the product in the
backward order of the disassembly.
If there is suspected part failure, follow instructions from
service documentation.
As part of the troubleshooting process, confirm that all
connectors are properly installed and wiring harnesses and
cords are not damaged. Confirm that electrical noise or other
external factors are not contributing or causing the problem.
Before you replace parts, make your best effort to identify
and resolve other possible causes like improper connections
or damaged or pinched wiring.

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During the work, confirm that the installation environment is
clean and free from dust, oil and water vapor and that the
product is installed in a stable and flat location.
Do not put the parts on unstable or tilted places and be
careful not to cover the intake and exhaust vents.

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Product damage, electrical shock or fire may occur because
of improper connections or damaged wiring harnesses.
Verify that wiring harnesses, connectors and other parts that
are disassembled for the maintenance are put back together
properly. Use caution to avoid metal burrs or sharp edges.
Do not pull out a connector with holding its wiring harness
even if it was tough to remove.

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Make a visual inspection of the work area and product and
ensure that necessary maintenance items are discovered.
When cleaning sensors, remove them and clean with a
blower brush to minimize electrostatic discharge and
possible damage.
Keep all disassembled parts and tools organized and in plain
view so that none will be lost or damaged.
After completing a service job, perform a safety check. Make
sure that all parts, wiring and screws are returned to their
original positions.
When conducting circuit inspection or testing, never create
an electrical short within a circuit. Significant damage or fire
can result.
When taking voltage measurements, be sure to use a
suitable multimeter and that the common lead is properly
grounded.
Never change any network settings without the permission of
the network administrator.

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Replace periodical replacement parts such as a charging
corona in the specific replacement cycles.
Be sure to clean the residue of toner or dust on electrode
units such as the charging corona.
Check that they do not have deterioration, electrical leakage
marks or arcing.
Electric leakage or arcing may result in failure or fire.

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Be sure to tighten and verify the proper installation of all
electrical connections following disassembly for the
maintenance.
Not following these instructions may result in component
failure, electric shock, or fire.

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To prevent injury, inspect damage to the exterior or frame of
the product for sharp edges, burrs or scratches and remove
them.
Carefully read and follow all service documentation and pay
specific attention to cautions when performing service.
Perform only those adjustments that are documented in valid
service documentation.
Wear appropriate work clothing, use appropriate tools and
follow all procedures. Failure to follow these guidelines can
cause product damage or injury.
Use caution when applying force during service to minimize
the danger of injury. Slippage of grip or tools can cause
unexpected results and injury.

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Removing the cover that is marked with the caution label
could lead to possible exposure to the invisible laser beam,
resulting in eye damage or blindness. Be sure to unplug the
power cord before removing the cover. If the removal of this
cover while the power is ON is unavoidable, be sure to wear
protective laser goggles that meet specifications. Make sure
that no one enters the room when the machine is in this
condition.
When you handle the laser unit, observe the “Precautions for
Handling Laser Equipment.”

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Replace a rundown battery with the same type as specified
in the manufacturer’s parts manual.
Before installing a new battery, make sure of the correct
polarity of the installation. Dispose of used batteries
according to the local regulations. Never dispose of them at
the customer site or attempt to discharge one.
The magnet roller generates a strong magnetic field. Do not
bring it near a watch, a floppy disk, a magnetic card, or a
CRT tube.

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Do not store or place printed circuit boards in a location that
is exposed to direct sunlight and high temperature.
Protect them from any external force so that they are not
bent or damaged.
When you take printed circuit boards out of their protective
conductive bags, place it in position by holding only their
edges. Then, put them on the conductive mat in the place
without electrostatic discharge.
Do not touch the pins of the ICs with your bare hands as
electrostatic discharge may cause damage and electrical
shock.
Before unplugging connectors from the printed circuit boards,
make sure that the power cord has been unplugged from the
outlet.
Avoid checking the IC directly with a multimeter; use
connectors on the printed circuit boards.
Never create a closed circuit across IC pins with a metal tool.

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When you touch the printed circuit boards, wear a wrist strap
and connect its cord to a securely grounded place whenever
possible. If you cannot wear a wrist strap, touch a metal part
to discharge static electricity before touching them.
Replacement of a printed circuit board may call for
readjustments or resetting of particular items.

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Use caution when you handle a photo conductor. Use the
specified carton for it during the transportation or storage
and store it in temperature between –20℃ and +40℃,
avoiding direct sunlight. In summer, additionally, do not leave
it in a car for a long time.
Check the correct conductor is used before installing and
protect the removed conductor in its carton or with a drum
cloth.
Do not contaminate the surface or touch it directly. If it is
contaminated, clean it using the following procedure.

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Do not expose the photo conductor by direct sunlight. Clean
it as quickly as possible to minimize exposure to light, even
when only indoor lighting is in use.
Procedure 1. Place the PC Drum into one half of its carton.

Procedure 2. Wipe the surface in one continuous movement

from the rear edge of the PC Drum to the front edge and off
the surface of the PC Drum.

Turn the PC Drum slightly and wipe the newly exposed

surface area with a clean face of the Dust-Free Cotton Pad.
Repeat this procedure until the entire surface of the PC
Drum has been thoroughly cleaned.

Procedure 3. Soak a small amount of either ethyl alcohol or

isopropyl alcohol into a clean, unused Dust-Free Cotton Pad,
which has been folded over into quarters. Now, wipe the
surface of the PC Drum in one continuous movement from

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its rear edge to its front edge and off its surface one to two
times. Never move the Pad back and forth.

Procedure 4. Using the same face of the Pad, repeat the

procedure explained in the latter half of the previous step
until the entire surface of the PC Drum has been wiped.
Always overlap the areas when you wipe. Two complete turns
of the PC Drum would be appropriate for cleaning.
Even when the PC Drum is contaminated in one location,
wipe the entire surface. If contamination remains after
cleaning, repeat the entire procedure from the beginning one
more time.

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When abnormal heat, smoke, noise or smell occur, turn off
the power and pull out the main plug. Confirm that the
abnormality subsides and that safety is assured, and then
inspect all abnormal parts.

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Test your knowledge in a quiz!

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To provide a safe working environment, you should observe
the specified safety standards that are related to the
equipment itself, its installation, operation, and maintenance.
Whereas many standards prescribe the construction
requirements, the installation requirements for printers and
copiers refer to the their placing, the mains supply, and the
grounding. They should for example not be placed in areas
with a high air humidity or direct sunlight.
Additionally, there are marks and labels which indicate
product-specific safety precautions.
Each symbol signifies a certain source of danger like high
voltage or laser part.
These parts always require special attention. Before
inspecting or replacing these parts, ensure to follow the
recommended safety measures.
During the disassembly, verify that the equipment is powered
off and unplugged. During assembly, unless otherwise
specified, assemble it in the reverse order of the

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disassembly instructions.
You also have to be careful about the removed parts and the
consumables such as a used battery or a cartridge.
Refer to the user’s guide or service manual for the more
detailed information. Finally, remember that the equipment is
usually part of a network. Contact the network administrator
before you perform any installation or service.

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This lesson describes influences of MFPs and printers on
human health.
You will learn about the regulations that is related to some
substances, the substances for the equipment and
generated in operation, and then the product safety
information.

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Numerous regulations on both substances and chemicals
prevent hazards to human health and the environment all
over the world.
For MFPs, printers, and consumables, the regulations are
stipulated that labels or data sheets have to display the
information about substances to avoid in production and
substances that are used in products.
Substances regulations have 4 basic concerns.
First; the restriction on manufacturing, import and the use of
substances. This is a set of rules to observe and guides for
information disclosure that is related to manufacturing,
import or use of regulated substances.
Second, the registration and evaluation of substances is a
matter on what kinds of substances are used and what risks
happen.
Third; replacement of hazardous substances is a set of rules
guiding the substitution of one substance with another that
contains less or no harmful substances.

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Fourth, the adoption of new chemical substances is a matter
on analysis, evaluation, and registration of the new
substances.

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Here are examples of chemicals regulations.

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Black toners commonly consist of particle of resin that
contains carbon materials and partly magnetizable metallic
oxides. Black toners are not dangerous substances in the
sense of the regulations relating to chemical composition.
Used correctly, they present no health danger to the users.
People regarded toners that are used as a problem for a risk
of cancer, because they contained impure carbon materials.
Removal of the impure carbon materials has eliminated the
danger, which makes the toner safe.
Colored toners contain other color pigments instead of
carbon.
Colored toners do not pose a health threat if used normally
and if handling precautions are followed.
Developers consist of a few toners and carriers such as
quartz, magnetizable iron, and iron oxides that are covered
with synthetic materials. They are also not dangerous
substances.

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Silicone oils are used as a separating medium in fixing. They
are not dangerous substances and present no dangers to
human health. They are not based on mineral oils and
therefore the regulations for disposal of used oil do not
govern them. Due to their high thermal stability, they also
lead to no by-products in the process of copying. Their high
boiling point means that even with continuous use of the
copier/printer only the very smallest quantities of silicon oil
can evaporate.

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Semiconductor materials with photoconductive properties
are used in copying equipment.
Cadmium sulphide is used for semiconductors of drums that
are made of aluminum and they are hardly used today.
Cadmium sulphide is highly poisonous.
However, it is reliably sealed in by several layers of synthetic
insulating material in use, and thus it has no danger to
human health.
Selenium drums are also hardly used.
Selenium has a toxic effect if it is inhaled as vapor or dust.
However, selenium drums presents no risk to human health
because it is highly resistant to the abrasion.
Zinc oxide photo conductors consist of a polyester ribbon
with a coating of very pure zinc oxide. Zinc oxide is not a
dangerous substance. Image carriers with organic photo
conductors have existed in a wide variety of forms since the
mid-1980s. The light-sensitive layer is not poisonous.

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Photo conductors that are made by silicone are not a
dangerous substance because silicone is a very stable
element.

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Emissions from MFPs and printers are composed of light,
ozone, dust, noise, and other substances. Click the items to
see the explanations.

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In the process of scanning documents, the document is
exposed to visible illumination produced by halogen lamps,
luminescent bulbs or flashlights.
Current generation of MFPs use LED lamps.
Any ultra-violet radiation is filtered out by the glass cover and
housing. In normal use, there is no danger to the eyes.
The laser in laser printers creates the image on the photo
conductor. The laser is completely enclosed. Therefore, it is
classified as a Class I laser apparatus. If the device is
opened, the laser is automatically turned off.
MFPs use halogen lamp for fusing.
Halogen lamp is completely enclosed like the Laser light. If
the device is opened, the laser is automatically turned off.

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Ozone occurs naturally in the atmosphere. Ozone can be
damaging to human health in higher concentrations,
therefore it is regarded as a ‘substance dangerous to health’
according to individual national standards in some countries.
All electrostatic copying equipment produces ozone.
However, copiers and printers are engineered to minimize
the concentration of ozone produced.
Ozone filters are one of the common methods that are used
to quickly convert ozone into carbon dioxide and oxygen.
Installation locations need sufficient space and ventilation.
If the copier/printer is in a restricted space or there are
several copiers/printers in use simultaneously, an ozone
odor can arise.
The reason lies in the low odor threshold of ozone, which is
reached at about 1/10th of the maximum permissible
concentration level. Therefore, the manufactures set

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limitations on the duration of copying and the number of
operative machines to install in sufficiently large or specially
ventilated spaces.
Ozone dissipates and changes into oxygen with time. This
decreases the concentration in the air.

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Dust in a copying equipment contains a very large extent of
normal house dust together with particles of paper and the
toner.
The equipment uses a fan to avoid overheating inside it by
exhausting the generated heat. Dust is also exhausted with
the movement of air that fans cause.
To minimize problems that the dust causes, the regular
maintenance should be performed and using low dust paper
is recommended.

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The noise level can be dependent on many factors including
the structure, product performance, operation modes like
standby and the accessories installed.
Users should be informed of the noise specifications for the
product and they should make appropriate installation
choices based on the installation factors.

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The analysis of the emissions showed the presence of a very
small amount of ultrafine particles.
The actual source of ultrafine particle emissions and of the
chemical composition of these particles have not been
revealed.
New test methods are being developed, but there are no
assured results yet because of a very small amount of the
emissions.
As long as there is no clear information about the chemical
composition of the particles, there is no conclusions any
related health risks. Now, however, the method to reduce the
emissions is being developed.
The gas styrene or benzene can be produced through heat
and pressure in the fixing of toners based on synthetic resin.
These never reach concentrations dangerous to human
health.
The Blue Angel Mark establishes the standard for the

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emission amount of these substances.
Electrosmog refers to the biological effect of magnetic and
electrical fields on people and the environment.
Valid scientifically based evidence has not been provided.

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Regulations for dangerous substances establish that Safety
Data Sheets are to be available for users. Safety Data
Sheets are commonly called SDS.
They were previously called MSDS too, but the name is
unified as SDS to ensure international consistency.
They contain information about the properties and handling
of chemical.
The major contents are the identification of the company,
hazardous substances, first-aid or fire-fighting measures, or
handling precautions.
Konica Minolta opens SDS to public on its web site, which is
available for all customers.
Click the PDF icon and display the actual SDS.

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Test your knowledge in a quiz!

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Technology improvement has eliminated the influences to
human health caused by substances from use of MFPs and
printers.
According to the current classification, the toners,
developers and silicone oils for fusing are not dangerous
substances.
Harmless semiconductor materials like silicone or Zinc oxide
are used for many photo conductors. Reliable sealing layers
protect dangerous substances such as cadmium sulfide or
selenium, which is seldom used currently. Therefore, using
these substances does not cause problems to human health.
In addition, as for the laser unit, safety measures are in
place to prevent the laser from causing injury. Products are
designed to minimize the emissions of ozone or dust.
These design considerations are also why emissions of
styrene gas and electrosmog do not reach levels that affect
human health.
Visit Konica Minolta websites when you need product safety

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information.

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This lesson describes the environmental concerns.
You will learn the approach of Konica Minolta to protecting
our environment through requirements for MFPs,
accessories, and consumables.

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Environmental concerns are continuing to be important for all
of us.
Companies must consider the influence on the environment
that their products have. This consideration applies to all
stages of the product lifecycle. From product development,
to production and process management, to sales and
service. Specific initiatives that are related to these
environmental concerns are presented in the following
content.

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Interest groups issue environmental labels to help the
consumer select products.
The labels identify that the product has met specific
standards of environmental protection.
Product manufacturers must provide a declaration verified by
test reports or the product must undergo testing by an
awarding authority for these labels to be displayed.
Many environmental or “eco” labels are used worldwide. The
labels here are examples for office equipment and are used
in the markets of Japan, United States, EU and Germany.
Click each label for details.

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Eco Mark is a program of the Japan Environment
Association according to standards for environmental
management, ISO 14020 and 14024.
The Eco Mark identifies those products that support an
ecological lifestyle and an environmentally sound society.
Eco Mark certified products must meet specific requirements
for designated product categories.
MFPs and printers must meet the requirements of the
categories of 3R- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Substances
in Plastic Parts, Batteries, Toners, Emissions, Energy
Consumption and Manufacturing Processes.

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Energy Star is a standard for energy efficient products,
buildings and facilities. Founded as a joint program of the US
Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of
Energy, and today, other countries such as Japan, Europe,
and Australia adopt it.
The aim is to save users expenses on energy and to protect
the environment. Energy Star requirements for MFPs and
printers include an average energy efficiency improvement of
25% as compared to non-certified products and to provide
features such as duplex printing and auto-power-off.

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Blue Angel Mark was introduced in Germany in 1978 for the
first time in the world.
This label shows that the products have better energy
efficiency and consider the environmental protection in all
aspects. The products that have this label on are regarded
as safe to our health and the environment.
Mainly, the investigation of the professional, Federal
Environmental Agency, German Institute for Quality
Assurance and Labeling, and the independent decision-
making body establish the requirements. In addition, Federal
Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, and
Nuclear Safety publish the requirements.
Each product has different requirements such as RAL-
UZ171.
Manufacturers are allowed to apply the contract to use for
the runtime of the according basic criteria.
The Blue Angel ecolabel and Eco Mark have the same
requirements and can be regarded as the mutual

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authentication.

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EPEAT indicates that the electronic product (computers or
monitors) or the imaging product (copiers or printers) are
environmentally sensitive. IEEE established this standard.
EPEAT started to be applied to the electronic product in
2006, and to the imaging product in 2013. The criteria are
the environmental loading by material, design for end of life,
longevity, energy conservation, and others.
There are 33 required criteria and 26 optional criteria for
imaging product, which rate the products to 3 levels.
Products that satisfy the required criteria are rated to Bronze
level, the required criteria and 50% of optional criteria are
rated to Silver level, the required criteria and 70% of optional
criteria are rated to Gold level.

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Technological improvements over the past two decades such
as; electronic control versus relay control, have contributed
to increased energy efficiency of office products.
Limits of energy consumption are under discussion in
various European countries. The examples of that are
Energy 2000 in Switzerland and NUTEK-Standards as well
as proposals of the EU Commission in Sweden.
We are in progress to reduce further energy consumption
because new regulations are expected.
Technical solutions for automatic or user-programmed
options to turn off components while not needed are being
developed.
Switching off components when they are not necessary can
reduce the need for cooling fans. Reducing the operating
temperature of the fixing unit also reduces energy
consumption and the need for cooling.

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The quality requirements for copying/printing paper are laid
down in national and international standards. These
standards may consider normal as well as recycled paper.
Paper types meeting these standards usually can be used
without hesitation for copying/printing purposes.
However, there are papers which do not meet the standards
of MFP manufacturers.
That paper has very short fibers, extremely high resin
content, a lot of dust, and fillers causing excessive wear.
Poor quality paper can cause parts of MFPs and printers that
are exposed to wear to suffer excessively.
Paper jams occur more frequently and shorter maintenance
intervals become necessary.
The recommendations should be followed especially when
using special materials such as overhead film or labels.
Paper quality affects reliability of equipment, wear and the
quality of copies.

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Consumables are an important consideration when it comes
to environmental impact.
Consider how handling of Recycled Paper, Printer
Cartridges, Toner Containers and Photo Conductors may
impact customers choosing our products.
Click each button to see details for each topic.

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The recycled paper products of Konica Minolta are certified
by Green Mark and Eco Mark in Japan and by Blue Angel
Mark in Germany.

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Toner bottles are the containers to supply the toner. From
this container, the toner is sent to a toner supply box in
MFPs or printers. Konica Minolta recycles milk bottles made
out of polyethylene, which are widely distributed in Europe
and the U.S., and turns them into toner bottles for MFPs.
Used toners are the toners that have been removed from the
image photo conductor at the cleaning section after the
copying process. Recycling used toners can cause image
quality problems, so they are stored in the specified
container in the machine and collected by our service staff.

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The printer cartridge is a manufactured unit consisting of a
photo conductor, a toner container, a developing unit, a
corona and a cleaning device.
Because the valuable materials are used, some
manufacturers take back the printer cartridges free of charge
and recycled.

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The suppliers of CdS and selenium drums establish
processes for recovery of these drums. They observe the
legal regulations regarding proper handling. Ensure that they
do not reach waste disposal services or that they are not
submitted for incineration.
Zinc oxide ribbons and organic photo conductors are not
subject to special disposal.
These can be given to waste disposal services.
Materials for the drum such as aluminum can be reused or
recycled.
Silicone oils are not mineral oils. In some countries, however,
silicone oils are designated as slightly water hazardous and
are subject to disposal according to local regulations. The
service technicians normally recover used silicone oil.

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Nearly all parts of MFPs and printers can be reused or
recycled nowadays.
Individual manufacturers and initiatives embracing a number
of the manufacturers sustain both systems of recovery and
recycling of old equipment.
Reuse of components and reconditioning of complete
machines has been taking place for some time by authorized
specialist dealers as well as by some manufacturers
themselves, and is continuously being developed further.
Experience gained in recycling equipment gives the
feedback to environmentally sound construction of new
products and so contribute to putting the laws of the
recycling economy into practice.
In this way, the idea of a recycling economy is coming to be
established.

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Test your knowledge in a quiz!

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The environmental activities, which are spreading all over
the world, motivate companies to design their products that
meet the environmental goals and develop them as one of
the environmental solutions in the end.
For the activities, there are labels to show that products are
environmental. For example, the Blue Angel mark shows that
the products with it generate less pollution and are designed
to reduce waste.
It is important to reuse or recycle consumables and most
manufactures do have programs for cartridges or organic
photo conductors.
Recycling process experience has led to the development of
environmentally sound products.
One of the areas that have significantly improved is energy
consumption. New technologies such as the automatic turn
off system are being developed to improve even further.

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This lesson will first describe the environmental policy of
Konica Minolta.
Then, you will learn how Konica Minolta restricts the
environmental influences.
Finally, we will explain our environment initiatives.

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The Konica Minolta Group aims to promote sustainable
development and profitable growth.
We integrate environmental, economic and social
perspectives into our business strategies so that our
business activities are implemented in harmony with human
lives and with the environment in all aspects. Our concept is
“Management Based On Facts”.
This concept is to make steady progress toward resolution of
environmental challenges based on quantitative
measurement and analysis of reliable data in regard to
environmental performance and impact.

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To reduce the environmental impact of each of its facilities,
Konica Minolta is endeavoring to minimize waste generation
and energy consumption at those offices as well as
undertaking a wide variety of other facility-related
environmental conservation activities.
Click each button to see details for each topic.

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ISO stands for International Organization for Standardization,
whose headquarter is in Geneva of Switzerland.
The ISO 14001 is the standard for registration of an
environmental management system and it is being used by
third-party entities and internal auditing committees to
evaluate the environmental systems of companies and other
organizations.
We are required to have a general policy on pollution
prevention and compliance with all relevant environmental
laws and regulations. The scope of our multi-site ISO 14001
certification is being expanded to not only cover production
sites, but also product development as well as sales and
distribution activities.
We are conducting internal environmental audits of plant
facilities that have ISO 14001 certification at least once per
year. Managers use the results of those audits to evaluate
the results of activities to date and plan future activities, thus
providing for continual reductions in environmental impact.

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To promote qualitative improvement in internal audits and
obtain staff for performing those audits, we organize training
programs and follow-up seminars for internal environmental
auditors.

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Risk management is a part of our ISO 14001.
To prevent and minimize impact cause of fires or other
accidents, we require each of our manufacturing facilities to
perform voluntary risk management activities.
If an accident occurs, the description of the related
circumstances and response will be recorded, and the
standards will be re-evaluated and upgraded regarding those
descriptions.
Based on their environmental management standards our
manufacturing facilities perform accident countermeasure
drills at regular intervals.
In addition to installing water quality analysis equipment at a
portion of our facilities, we have created a system for quickly
dispatching qualified water analysts to perform analyses. As
a result, even if a water-quality problem occurs, we can
discover such a problem at a very early stage and quickly
implement appropriate countermeasures.

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With the cooperation of waste treatment companies, we are
working to recycle types of industrial waste that have
previously been incinerated or placed in landfills. We have
further segmented its waste categories, thereby promoting
the recycling of waste plastic, glass, metals, and other waste
products.
We work towards “Zero Waste Disposal” at production sites
in Japan by turning wastes into resources. Within the ISO
14001, a Waste Management Committee serves all
companies in our Group, and a management system is
being devised in order to deal with all wastes, including
those generated from non-production sites.
The established requirements for “Zero Waste Disposal” are
a resource recovery rate of over 90%, a final disposal rate of
less than 5 %, and a reduction of over 90% in external
payments.
To achieve the “Zero Waste Disposal”, it is important to
- increase the rate of resource recovery

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- optimize production processes
- reduce waste and effectively use waste in-house.
The first priority is given to in-house recycling of leftover
materials coming out of the production process. To facilitate
this, we are conducting research and development of new
recycling and production technologies.

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To reduce CO2 emissions, we take responsibility for a
product life cycle that consists of production, transportation,
use, disposal, and recycle of products.
We carry out a life cycle assessment in order to find the
most effective measures to reduce CO2 emissions.
MFPs and printers generate the most CO2 while the
customers are using the products. Therefore, the design
which raises the energy efficiency is preferentially developed
to save the energy in use.
A digital camera generates the most CO2 at the
manufacturing process.
As you can see, we make an effort to reduce CO2 emissions
according to the stage of the product lifecycle.

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We are seeking to preserve the quality of air and water
through strict conformance with relevant laws and
regulations as well as by voluntarily establishing and
monitoring compliance with its own rigorous standards.
Each of our manufacturing facilities measure emissions of air
and water pollutants at regular intervals as well as checks
boilers, waste water-treatment facilities, and other related
facilities at regular intervals. To prevent environmental
pollution due to chemicals, we have created chemicals
management systems that enable us to maintain a
quantitative grasp of the chemicals in our products and at
our facilities.
Regarding specified chemicals, we are reducing or
eliminating the use and shifting to relatively safe alternative
substances.
We also measure levels of noise and vibration at regular
intervals and are working to reduce those levels.

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Many environmental systems have been made to promote
development and use of environment-friendly products.
One of it is the Blue Angel Mark. Konica Minolta first
received the Blue Angel Mark for a category in January 1992.
This designation reflected the low level of ozone and dust
emissions of the product, its ability to use recycled paper,
and various other environment-friendly characteristics.
In March 1994, one of our copiers became the first product
in its category to comply with the revised Blue Angle
standards.
The revised standards required the identification of the type
of plastic used for each part.
Also ISO 1043 and ISO 11469 standards stipulate the use of
a labeling system to identify the various types of plastic.
Again, in 2003, our MFPs receive the mark first in MFPs
category.
The labels identify plastic material on all plastic components
that weigh 25 grams or more in our image information

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products.
And, we do not use substances in plastic materials that may
generate dioxins or other toxic substances when incinerated.
We replaced blister-packaging and other packaging materials
incorporating polyvinyl chloride with polystyrene or other
relatively innocuous materials.

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Responding to the International Energy Star Program
standards that have been introduced in Japan, Europe, and
the US, we have aggressively worked to reduce the energy
consumption of our products. As a result, many copiers,
printers, and fax machines received the Energy Star mark in
October 1995.
Konica Minolta has developed diverse technologies to
reduce the energy consumption and help prevent global
warming.
Representative examples of our energy-saving designs
include an automatic power-off function that turns off
products automatically after they are idle for a specified
period of time, toner-fixing technology that is more energy
efficient than previous technologies. Another technique is
that a 2-in-1 copying function that shrinks two original pages
and copies them onto a single page, thereby reducing
consumption of both power and paper.

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In 1992, Konica Minolta became the first manufacturer to
begin company-wide use of cardboard that contains recycled
pulp for the boxes of individual camera products. Shock-
absorbing materials for optical products like measuring
instruments are made from pulp molds to reduce the use of
polystyrene foam packaging material. A Japan-based
organization handled the recovery of polystyrene foam that
is still in use.
In view of this, the environment-compatible packaging of
Konica Minolta has received the Eco-Mark from the Japan
Environment Association.
In addition, recyclable cardboard pallets replaced wooden
pallets that are used for the shipping of certain copier/printer-
related optional equipment.

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To promote reuse and recycling, we standardize parts and
materials, reduce the number of parts and design products
to be dismantled more easily.
Some examples of this are; using recycled plastic for toner
bottles, using the same plastic materials to make
components that are attached to each other, such as; a label
and toner bottle or used toner box. Other examples are;
recovering imaging units, supporting the recycling of parts in
closed-loop recycling systems and the reuse of parts in next-
generation products by standardizing parts and materials or
implementing a modular design.

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In the recycle process, MFPs and printers are dismantled
manually, and then the parts or materials are recovered for
recycling or reusing.
The removed plastic parts are pulverized finely and melted.
After this process, they are reformed into new parts of MFPs
and printers.
The closed-loop materials recycle as you can see in the slide,
is the most efficient way to reducing the waste and recycling
procedure to preserve the natural resources.

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For all products, a product assessment is carried out in the
design and development phase. Product assessment is a
method for checking the environmental load that a product
will impose throughout its entire life cycle. At the planning
phase, numerical targets for environmental goals are set.
During a testing phase it is verified if goals are being met
and a final assessment is carried out before the product is
actually produced.
The major environmental goals
for production are to conserve energy and raw material and
to reduce by-products and wastes to a minimum.
The environmental goals for transport and merchandising
are to reduce product size and weight and to reduce and
recycle packaging.
The environmental goals for the usage of the product are to
reduce the product energy consumption and resources and
to provide a long product life.
The goal for waste disposal is to minimize the final waste

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volume.
The environmental goals for recycling are to reuse more
parts and to make reuse or recycling easy to accomplish.
The environmental goals for procurement are to use safe
materials, use more recycled materials and to reduce the
number of parts and the volume of materials necessary.

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Under the Ecoleaf label, we publish quantitative information
on an environmental performance of the product based on
life-cycle assessments in three types of data sheets. The
users can confirm the environmental impact of the products
by reviewing these documents.
Click the PDF icon and see the data sheet.

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One of the greatest issues for humankind today is the
sustainable preservation of a global environment, and
society requires us to make a commitment to both achieving
economic growth and the environmental conservation in our
business activities.
We at the Konica Minolta Group feel that as manufacturers,
it is our duty to offer products with low environmental impact.
We believe that in order to achieve this goal, it is necessary
to develop and design environmentally conscious products,
while at the same time procuring materials, parts, and
components with low environmental impact.
The key word of green procurement is reducing
environmental impact. We have added a category of the
Ecology to our traditional evaluations criteria QCD of
suppliers, in order to give preference to procuring parts,
materials, and so on with low environmental impact, from
suppliers with active commitments to the environment.
The Konica Minolta Group is now performing green

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procurement in accordance with this basic concept, and we
are currently in the process of formulating a new Green
Procurement Guideline for the Group.

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Carbon Neutrality or Carbon Offset are methods available for
companies to compensate for greenhouse gases created
during the lifecycle of their products that cannot be reduced
by other activities.
Examples of these are programs for planting trees, also
called afforestation, and emissions credits for projects that
reduce emissions.

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Konica Minolta uses emission credits to compensate for CO2
emissions generated during the lifecycle of production print
machines sold from October 2014 to December 2016.
Customers using these products can post a carbon neutrality
certification or include a carbon neutrality logo on the prints
output from them.
This helps to enhance the customer recognition of our brand
and increases the appeal of these products for customers
that have a high level of environmental awareness and green
purchashing standards.

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Konica Minolta conducts training for all of our employees
(including temporary staff) to ensure that we achieve the
environmental goals.
To raise awareness of environmental issues also other
activities, such as an environmental seminar series by
outside experts and the Konica Minolta Environmental Award,
are conducted.

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As it implements its various environmental conservation
programs, Konica Minolta is careful to maintain good two-
way communications with customers and the local
communities in which it operates.
Konica Minolta facilities accept groups of visitors from
schools, government bodies, companies, and other entities.
Konica Minolta proactively uses publications, its web site,
and other PR media to disseminate information that is
related to its environmental conservation activities. The
Company hopes that a growing number of people will gain a
better understanding of those activities.
We give information about our environmental activities on
the Konica Minolta Environmental Management home page.
On the home page you learn more about the current
activities, developments and latest product features, which
are devoted to the conservation of the environment. In
addition, we publish the environment reports of Konica
Minolta.

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Test your knowledge in a quiz!

89
Konica Minolta group carries out the business activities in
harmony with the human and environment by adding the
environmental, economic, and social view to our business
strategy. Our concept to solve the environmental problems is
“Management Based On Facts”.
Our environmental initiatives can be divided into two
categories. They are facilities and products.
For the facilities, we are operating the management of ISO
14001 certification, environmental risks, chemical
substances, and wastes.
For the products, we are reducing the influences on the
environment in units of the product lifecycles and designing
the environmental products.
Additionally, we have the environmental training for all of our
employees and promote the communication between our
customers and local communities.

90
You have completed the course “Environment and Safety”.
Let us look back on what you have learned in this course.
You understand that Konica Minolta products can be safely
used once they have been correctly installed or serviced.
You now know the basic safety regulations and standards.
You understand that safety topics should be confirmed
during service. You also understand that safety is not limited
to the operation of our products but throughout their entire
lifecycle. Moreover, each product design must include
consideration for the environment. You have learned that
Konica Minolta not only follows regulations but voluntarily
establishes it’s own strict standards. We are striving to
developing products that generate less environmental stress.

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Congratulations! You have now completed the OUTWARD
course on “Environment and Safety”.

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